Shoe



Feb 9, 1932. J. MCBREARTY snow Filed Feb. 12, 192@ Vor concavo-convex Patented Feb. 9, 1932 JOHN MCBRLEARTY, or BRYN Mavim, rmvNsYLvANIA SHOE? Application ined February 12 1929. serial No. 339,331.

The invention relates toy improvements in shoes. rlhe object Vis to provide improvements in respect to thev shock 'absorbing and supporting means'associated with the heel,

' 'means for supporting the astra-'galus and adjacent bones, andalso improvementsin the formation of the arch support and of the inner sole in connection with porting themetatarsals.

. The invention comprises a cushion con'- tainer or shield having anon-symmetrical forward edge, a cushion or resilient k'pad secured in the upper concave portion thereof,

-covering all the marginal edges thereof and having an extension beyond lthe Vforward edge of the shield. The resilient material of the pad also preferably covers, in the form of a'film, the u nder or convex side of the shield.

The invention comprises an inner liningl or cover for the pad extending substantially'beyond the forward edge of the pad. The said shield, padand cover are preferably all' ses cured firmly together. f l The invention also comprises an improved arch supporting element extending beneath the insole, from a point approximately beneathl the central portion of the shield, to a lpoint near the opposite side of the'instep', and provided at its' forward end with a. raised formation. The insole is rovided with a concavo-convex formation, which I call the metatarsal support, adapted to register and cooperate with the said formation on the arch supporting element. The heel proper of the bootor shoen is preferably provided with a centrally disposed recess, or chamber, which constitutes an air chamber; all @as herein more specifically described.V y yThe invention includes improvements in the inventions described and claimed in my Patents No. 1,148,604 dated Aug. 3, 1915, and No. 1,372,709 datedMarch 29, 1921.

Referring to the drawings, which illus- 'trate merely by way of example a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of a shoe containingmy improvements.

Fig. 2 1s an underside plan view of the pad and supporting shield. f

means for sup I Fig. `3 is a section on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is 4a section on the line 4, 4 of Fig. 2.

` Fig. 5 is asection on line (In Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive is omitted.)

Fig. 6

larged scale.

5, 5 of Fig. 2.

the inner lining is a fragmentary section on an en- Fig. 7 is a plan vievv'of'the arch supporting element.'

l Fig.'l 8 is a side elevation of same.

' Fig. 9

is a plan view,

of the insole.

Similar' numerals refer to similar parts throughout Referring to Fig.

the several views.

1, the insole 7 is cupped or dished at the heel end to conform to the convex side of the cushion shield 8. Theconcave vformation is' shown, longitudinally in Fig. 1', and transversely, sections -of theshield 8 as it corresponds to the shown in Figs. 4

and 5, so that the shield 8 is adapted tovfit snugly in the said depression at of the insole.

the heelend Within this shield 8 is provided the pad or cusliio n 9,'which cushion overliesthe entire marginaledge of the shield 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.- This Cushion 9 has Van extension beyond'the forward edge of the shield 8, forming a skirt vanishing line suV beyond the' forwar shown in A pref socia-tion shield in 9"'w`hich is tapered to a lstantially in advance or d edge ofthe shield 8, as

Figs. V1, 2 and 3.

erred way to form thepad 9 in aswith the shield 8, yis to place the a mold andl then pour the material,

such as rubber or other 'suitable resilient sub stance, while in the plastic state, cave portion it flows over the under side and then subject the same into the conof the shield preferably until vthe edges thereof' and around t0 pressure so that the resilient material will become clos ely adherent to the shield both upon the upper concave side and also upon the under or convex side; Vmaterial on the under side,

of ya thin the covering of resilient being in the form film 25, as indicated in Fig. 6. At

the same time, as above stated, this cushion extends over and is adherent to the entirel marginal edge material of the shield, `and a portion of the is permitted to extend, in the form fili " reversed curves,

rect pressure tends toward the of a skirt 9, beyond the forward edge of the shield so as to provide a very gradual taper of the pad onto the insole and thus provide a very smooth surface over the edge of the shield. Upon the top of the pad or cushion 9 is placed the inner lining l0, which is secured firmly to the surface of thepad to the extreme margins thereof. This inner cover or lining l() extends on all sides beyond the margins of the pad so that, when said marginal extensions are f drawn gins of the insole and tacked or otherwise secured to said insole, as described in my Patent No. 1,372,709, the pad 9 and its containing shield are held securely in place in the cup formation of the insole. The forward part of this inner lining or lcover l() is preferably extended beyond the forward edge of the s irt 9 over the insole to a point beyond the forward end of the arch supporting element l2. l v

It is also to be noted that the forward edge of the shield 8 is non-symmetrical. That is, said forward or front edge is in the form of so that the portion `on the inner sid-e of the shoe extends forwardly further than the portion on the outer side, in 0rder to provide a proper support for the heel of the foot without exerting pressures where the same are undesirable.

For example, the cushion and shield are so formed at the front edge as to allow the os calcis, to remain in a normal and natural position, thereby holding the astragalus, in normal position in order to secure a proper equal distribution of body weight. By this arrangement the os calcis is enabled to keep a direct pressure on the scaphoid, and this diprevention or cure of fallen arches or flat feet.

Itwill also be noted thatthe concavo-con- Vex formation of the 'shield has varying radii` at different cross-sections which forma- ,ion contributes in the proper distribution of the supporting pressures.

The arch supporting element l2 is `preferably made of tempered steel of the form shown in Figs. Z and 8, and is provided with a stifleningrib 18 running longitudinally of it. It is slightly cut away as at 19 at its rear end and vprovided with tangs 20 which are adapted to project through the insole 7 and clinch against the shield 8, as shown in Fig. l. This rear end of element l2 is adapted to lie beneath approximately the center of the shield 8 and to extend forwardly toward the ball portion of the shoe as shown. At the forward end is provided the concavo-convex formation 2l which projects upwardly into a corresponding concavo-convex formation 22 'in the insole. This formation 22 in the insole is made by hammeringor otherwise depressing a portion of the insole, while soft, into a depression formed in the last for this purpose. It will thus be seen that the engagearound the Inarnient of the formations 2l and 22 and the tangs 2O with the insole, secures a positive and constant cooperation of the arch supporter and the insole maintaining a proper slightly resilient support of the instep and also a cooperation with the pad 9 and shield 8 which the arch supporter overlaps.

The formation 22 also forms a support or brace which cooperating with the metatarsals and assures the proper position and support of the foot in this region.

That is to say, the element l2 in cooperation with the insole 7 supports the entire arch of the foot, while the elevation 22 holds the metatarsals in position. When the muscles and ligaments holding the bones relax and fail to contract, the bones go down,-dropand the dropping causes the foot suerer in walking, to strike the heads of the metatarsals. By the means described the bones are forced upwards and useless suffering is prevented.

In combination with the above arrangement I also prefer to use a heel 23 of the shoe with a recess or chamber 24, centrally located, so-that an enclosed air space is provided between the insole 7 and the outer surface or layer 26 forming the tread of the heel, which has a cushioning eect and also greatly lightens the weight of the heel and reduces the cost of production.

y the use of the term shoe l of course include any similar foot wear as for example boots or slippers.

What I claim is Y l. In a shoe, the combination of an insole having a concave or cup formation at the heel end thereof and a metal shield fitting therein having its forward edge in a reverse curve with one part in substantial advance ofthe other ad provided with a pad conforming thereto adapted to support the heel while allowing the os calcis to remain in normal position with respect to the astra-galus in order to secure equal distribution of the weight.

2. In a shoe, the combination of an insole having a concave or cup formation at the heel end thereof and a metal shield fitting therein having its forward edge in a reverse curve with one part in substantial advance of the other and provided with a pad covering the entire concavesurface and the entire margin of said shield to support theyheel while allowing the os calcis to remain in normal position ywith respect to the astragalus in order to secure equal distribution of the weight. y

3. In .a shoe, the combination of an insole having a concave or cup formation at the heel end thereof and a metal shield fitting therein having its forward edge in a reverse curve with one part in substantial advance `of the other .and provi-ded with a pad covering the entire concave surface and the enti-re margin 'of said shield and extending beyond the front edge of the shield and tapering to a vanishing line to support the heel while allowing the os calcis to remain in normal position with respect to the astragalus 1n order to secure equal distribution ofv the weight.

4. In a shoe, having a concave or cup formation at the heel end thereof, a concave-convex shield seated therein having a part of its forward edge in advance of another part and provided with a pad conforming thereto adapted to support the heel while allowing the os calcis to remain in normal position with respect to the astragalus, and-an arch support-k ing element beneath the insole having tangs clinched through the insole against the shield and having a concavo-convex formation at its forward end beyond the instep, the insole having a corresponding, cooperating concavo-convex formation, forming a support for the Inetatarsals.

Y JOHN MGBREARTY.

the combination ofan insole 

